(Missing Crown Prince)
(SUHO)
(Hong Ye Ji)
(Myung Se Bin)
(Kim Ju Hun)
(Kim Min Kyu)
(Missing Crown Prince)
(All characters, locations, organizations, and incidents...)
(in this drama are historically irrelevant and fictitious.)
(Production guidelines were strictly followed...)
(when filming with children and animals.)
Father.
Can you see me?
Father.
It is your son Gun.
Do you recognize me?
Father.
He looked at me.
I am sure he recognized me.
Yes, Your Royal Highness.
Your Royal Highness?
Come on in.
Father...
opened his eyes.
Father, can you hear me?
He might need some time, so let us wait.
His eyes may be open, but he is not fully conscious...
He is conscious.
I am certain he recognized me.
Father, it is your son, Gun.
Do you recognize me?
Can you see me?
If you see me,
please blink your eyes once more.
Did you see that?
Father blinked.
He recognized me.
Yes, I am certain he recognized you as well.
I saw it as well.
Please muster more strength.
You should not give up, Father.
He opened his eyes, but he went back to sleep?
What does that mean?
Could he not regain consciousness?
- Hey! - Hey!
- I mean, what? - What you say can come true.
How dare you jinx us by blabbering?
Do you wish to be gagged like him?
Guard Lee.
Where is His Royal Highness?
Forgive us.
Due to the sabaltongmun being discovered,
we have not been able to find a way...
that could exonerate Master Moonhyung.
He probably had everyone write their names...
worried that some would change their minds.
We are stuck on this matter.
Do not worry too much.
I think I have found a way to save Father's life.
Do you mean that?
Forgive me.
I could not stop myself.
It is all right.
He will soon be back on his feet,
so please do whatever you can...
to stall the sentencing.
Yes, I will give it my all.
However,
I am not sure as to how they were able to set a bait.
Would you perhaps know?
Are you here to blame me?
Just ask the question.
Ask if I caused this.
- Did you? - Yes.
It was me.
I told them to be prepared for the military attack...
that you could order.
Do not look at me that way.
Just like you cherish your grandfather,
Mother is also precious to me.
Father...
is doing better.
Are you saying he regained consciousness?
It was brief,
but he recognized me.
What is the matter? Why are you performing acupuncture?
What happened?
His pulse started racing a few moments ago,
and his situation worsened.
Why is he responding differently to the same antidote?
It worked the first time.
He was not able to speak, but he recognized me...
and blinked as his way of answering me.
It is true.
I ask you this.
Can you guarantee that my father...
will regain consciousness?
I am sure of it.
Father will regain consciousness.
When have you ever said...
that you did not believe he would wake up?
If there is even a sliver of hope,
we should not give up.
If you give up on him that easily...
I am not giving up on him.
I am trying to protect Mother.
I cannot let her be sacrificed again.
By that, do you mean my grandfather and Sun Ok...
are expendable?
Whatever you say...
will not change my mind.
I cannot gamble...
my family's life on the unknown.
Do you remember what I said the day you broke me...
out of prison?
Will you not regret this?
You always have to nitpick over the details.
Sure. I might regret it.
However, I will do my best to protect my family.
I have more to ask,
but that will be reserved for the day I return.
I will finally ask that question.
Am I also a part...
of that family?
Why will you not answer me?
Do you not consider me as family?
You disregarded me...
as your family first.
Do not be unreasonable.
I have never thought that way.
Then how could you...
have taken a liking to the woman your brother almost married?
I asked your father to set our wedding date soon,
so know that.
I have something to tell you.
I cannot marry you.
I already...
have feelings for the Crown Prince.
He openly said he would not forgive your father.
How do you expect to marry him knowing that?
I have never even dreamed of it.
I did not want to force your hand in marriage.
However, I will protect you through marriage...
even if that means...
you will resent me your whole life.
But it is not what I want.
I will protect myself.
Can you also protect...
your father...
and my parents?
The only way to protect them all...
is through our marriage.
Dosung is only acting out due to stress,
so please be understanding.
I request that you be understanding of him too.
A good beating is what screws his head back on straight.
My being too nice and understanding of him...
is why he is acting out.
In my opinion,
you will probably lose if there was ever a scuffle.
Have you been going easy on him to prevent bruises?
How did you know that?
I will tend to Father from here,
so get some rest.
You should instead, for I am all right.
For me,
being with you and Father...
is the same as resting.
Being with you is how I rest as well.
I cannot let you risk your life.
If you stand opposed,
I will do it by myself.
- Lady Myung Yoon... - Until I find the right antidote...
for His Majesty,
I will never give up.
What is it?
Do you think I am not capable?
You win.
In return,
you will not think about running away ever again.
Why would I run away?
Once His Majesty recovers,
I will be hugely rewarded.
What do you wish as your reward?
I will request...
that even women should be allowed to be physicians.
Joseon's first female physician.
He would also have to grant me a house...
that could be my clinic.
Fine. I will make it happen.
A plaque will also be bestowed.
How about Baekgu Clinic?
I believe Hwanggu Clinic has a better ring to it.
Your Royal Highness.
What is it?
The Queen Dowager will dismiss the morning assembly...
and interrogate the sinners herself.
(Chinguk: An interrogation conducted by the king)
Halt!
Confess to who led the rebellion,
and you will keep your lives.
Speak of the one...
you wanted as king.
We are not traitors.
We were serving His Majesty...
by trying to rid the palace of traitors like you.
Keep burning them until the traitors talk.
- Yes, my lord. - Yes, my lord.
(Nakhyeong: Burning the skin with heated iron rods)
King Yeongjo stated...
that the law was always considered...
when sentencing someone.
Even though...
one's confession is deemed satisfactory,
it will always be flawed if the law was not upheld.
Burning and crushing...
were to forever be banned.
(Apseul: Placing heavy stones on one's lap)
So how could you order for them to be burned?
He also stipulated...
that torture during interrogations should only be conducted once a day,
twice should the crimes be serious.
It was to prevent lives from being taken.
Meanwhile, King Jeongjo,
when sentencing the subject of an interrogation,
delayed the sentencing of punishment...
for those who confessed...
and those who were on the brink of death.
Please reconsider.
Everything Prince Susung said was within reason.
Please reconsider.
Please reconsider!
Continue the punishment.
- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty,
they did not commit treason, but...
The deposed king!
We serve the deposed king.
We...
were plotting to reinstate...
the deposed king.
Dosung.
We need to talk.
Please spare...
my grandfather's life.
You, of all people, know that he is innocent.
Father will soon regain consciousness.
Until then,
please have his sentencing delayed.
For me...
Not my grandfather, but for me.
Help me this once.
Dosung.
Your Royal Highness.
How did it go?
Lady Myung Yoon...
went with the Head Eunuch to obtain more medicinal herbs.
He must want to be alone.
Father.
What must I do from now on?
Father.
Father...
Father.
Father...
I need to go outside.
Allow me to accompany you.
No. You are to head to the Crown Prince's Palace.
Take care of Lady Myung Yoon.
Understood. Do not worry, and make your trip.
I have somewhere to go.
You cannot leave the chamber, Lady Myung Yoon.
It will not take long.
You cannot leave.
I do not know what it is, but leave once you have...
His Royal Highness's permission once he returns.
It is to save His Royal Highness's grandfather.
I must meet Grandfather.
Please move.
Meet Master right now,
and it is doing as they please. How do you not know that?
Master stopped others...
from driving you as this incident's mastermind...
by becoming a traitor with a false statement...
about trying to restore the deposed King.
Do you truly not realize what his intentions were?
I do. However...
I cannot let Grandfather get hurt because of me.
I will meet Grandfather...
and ask him to take back his false statement.
We cannot let Master's sacrifice go to waste.
If you wish to go,
kill us first.
Even if we banish him,
he will die at the place of exile from old age.
Is there a need to make him take the deadly poison?
This is not to let Jang Hyun Mok live.
I do not want your hands...
to get stained with blood again.
I am well aware of your worries.
However, that man Yoon Yi Kyum...
will not back down easily this time.
Your Majesty. Lady Myung Yoon wishes to have an audience with you.
How did you enter the palace?
I used the pass Her Majesty gave me.
Do you not know you must not use it recklessly?
Take a seat.
Court Lady Kim. Bring us a table of refreshments.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Oh, yes. Do tell them to serve us omija tea.
Understood.
We were offered omija from Mungyeong.
It tasted nice.
As it is good for the body, take some on your way back.
I have something to tell you.
I see. Please tell me. Do not hold back.
Please let...
Master Moonhyung live.
Were you not at the temple?
How did you know about Master Moonhyung?
I went to buy a new brush,
then heard the rumors going around the market.
With that, you came straight here?
- Yes. - It is none of your business.
Go back home at once.
Myung Yoon must have come with some thought in mind.
Let us listen to her more.
I will marry...
Prince Dosung.
What is it that you want?
I told you, did I not?
Let Master Moonhyung live.
You have nothing to do with Master Moonhyung.
Is Prince Susung behind this?
His Royal Highness knows nothing about this.
Prince Susung would not have...
sent Myung Yoon here regarding such incident.
Then why are you requesting to let Jang Hyun Mok live?
You have no business whether he lives or dies.
I want to stop...
your wicked acts, Father.
Stop killing people.
Stop sinning.
That is all I ask from you, Father.
Wait outside for a moment.
Your daughter's request is reasonable.
It is not out of criticism...
but concern from filial affection.
Let Jang Hyun Mok live,
and she will marry Prince Dosung.
It is for the better, no?
We may accept her condition.
But will Yoon Yi Kyum accept it right then and there?
We must persuade him one way or another.
Once Myung Yoon marries Prince Dosung,
we, too, can take a breather. Am I not right?
We will do as you want.
However, you must keep your promise of marrying...
Prince Dosung.
And you must let Master Moonhyung live...
if you wish to become the King's father-in-law.
I will stay at the temple for a few more days.
I will return home after getting myself together.
- Until then... - All right.
In return, I will inform Prince Dosung.
Keep that in mind.
I am telling you to only exile him to a place like Jeju Island.
Where is my answer?
Jang Hyun Mok is a great sinner.
He got arrested for treason...
trying to restore the deposed King.
Does that imply you must kill him?
If you insist on killing Master Moonhyung,
I will understand it as wanting to kill Gun as well.
With that, I will do the sword dance.
If you are fine with it, kill Master Moonhyung.
- Please pardon the great sinner... - Please pardon the great sinner...
- Jang Hyun Mok. - Jang Hyun Mok.
- Please pardon Jang Hyun Mok. - Please pardon Jang Hyun Mok.
Jang Hyun Mok is indeed a criminal.
However, he has done great deeds for the country.
Letting him live,
but exiling him to the borders seems to be reasonable.
What do you think, Left State Councilor?
I agree with the Inspector General.
Please take it into consideration.
- Please take it into consideration. - Please take it into consideration.
Strip the criminals of their positions and privileges.
Exile them to places such as Jeju, Geoje, and Jindo...
and completely separate them from each other.
Build thorny walls around their dwellings.
- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Majesty.
(Wirianchi: Confining convicts in homes surrounded by thorny walls)
Thank you.
The date for my wedding...
with Lady Myung Yoon will be decided by the end of the month.
No.
This incident has made me even more determined.
I will...
punish Choi Sang Rok and the Queen Dowager no matter what.
Then the wedding will be called off,
and both you and Lady Myung Yoon will become miserable.
Do you think I will let that happen?
Do as you please.
I will do things my way too.
Is that why you decided on your own to move ahead with the wedding?
Lady Myung Yoon has already agreed.
You did not know?
What happened?
Thankfully, he could avoid execution by poison.
They decided to exile him to Jeju.
I am truly relieved to hear this.
By the way,
did you tell Dosung that you would marry him?
Do not tell me...
that you are jealous.
(Gangsaem: To be jealous)
Why would I be jealous?
No, it is not that. I heard you suddenly agreed to marry him,
so I was wondering what was going on.
I was simply trying to buy some time until His Majesty woke up.
I suppose it worked.
So you told him you would marry him?
At the moment, our priority is to save your grandfather.
If His Majesty regains consciousness before he leaves for Jeju...
Your Majesty.
His Majesty woke up again.
Father.
Can you see me?
Do you recognize me?
Your Royal Highness. It is I, Joong Young.
You may enter.
Father woke up again.
Your Royal Highness, Inspector General Choi is on his way here.
Inspector General Choi? Why, all of a sudden?
He has been overseeing the Royal Infirmary...
since His Majesty regained his consciousness.
I made up some excuses so they would not be suspicious,
but they must have reported it to Inspector General Choi.
That means he is coming here because he thinks something is up.
What should we do?
The Head Eunuch quickly summoned...
the court maids and eunuchs in the King's quarters.
Father.
At the moment, they cannot find out that you woke up.
I know it will not be easy, but act like you are still unconscious.
Inspector General Choi has arrived.
Please hurry up and cover His Majesty's face.
If my father checks His Majesty's pulse,
he will know right away that His Majesty is recovering.
Is there a way to slow down his pulse using acupuncture?
I will announce your arrival.
Please wait here for a moment.
Is...
someone in the room?
His Majesty is inside.
Let His Majesty know.
Your Majesty.
Inspector General Choi is here.
His pulse has become a little weak,
but it is not worrisome.
However,
His Majesty's condition could worsen at any time,
so the treatment sessions should never be skipped.
Well understood, my lord.
He left. You may come out now.
Father.
You can open your eyes now.
Father.
I think he fell asleep again for I went overboard with the needles.
I apologize.
It is okay.
We did not get caught, and that is enough.
I suppose Father fell asleep while acting like he was asleep...
not to get caught.
You should force yourself to get some sleep.
You have not slept in days.
I will go and guard His Majesty's chambers.
Have you lost your mind?
What were you thinking, leaving Oh Wol there alone?
Your Royal Highness.
They are taking Master Moonhyung to his place of exile.
Your Royal Highness.
Make way!
This scoundrel is worse than vermin.
Let us kill this traitor!
- Yes! - Yes, we must!
If we spare such a traitor, there will be another revolt,
which will cause chaos!
- Yes! - Kill the traitor!
- Yes, kill him! - Kill the traitor!
There will be another revolt, and it will cause chaos.
Kill that traitor!
- Kill him! - Darn you!
- Kill him! - Whack him!
- Kill him! - Traitor!
No.
Let go!
- No, Your Royal Highness. - Let go!
Your Royal Highness!
Grandfather.
Guards, what are you doing?
Stop them at once!
- Stop them! Now! - Step back.
- Stop! - Step back!
- My gosh! - Go away!
- Grandfather. - Go!
Grandfather. It is I, Gun.
Please open your eyes!
Get him off the wagon. Now!
Yes, sir!
(Hamgeo: A prisoner wagon)
Grandfather.
Grandfather!
One of the offenders died while being transported.
Magistrate Yoon.
You ought to find out who is responsible for this.
I will do my best.
Listen, ministers.
- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Majesty.
The King is still in critical condition,
yet unsavory incidents keep happening in and outside the palace.
The precarious future of the country truly concerns me.
Hence, I would like to officially appoint the Crown Prince...
for the sake of national security.
Prince Susung and Prince Dosung...
are the only sons of the King.
I have thought long and hard about this matter.
Rather than Prince Susung who is affiliated with a scandal,
Prince Dosung is more suitable as Crown Prince.
Hence, we will choose an auspicious day...
to install Prince Dosung as Crown Prince.
And therefore,
the Queen is to be released from confinement,
and Prince Susung...
will be banished from the palace.
Your Highness.
You have suffered so much.
Once Prince Dosung is installed as Crown Prince,
only bright days await Your Highness.
So, please stay strong as the Queen.
You must stay strong and healthy.
That is what you say to someone you would never see again.
I will look for you...
as soon as my father wakes up again,
so we will meet again soon.
Let me know...
as soon as you arrive safely.
Moo Baek!
There are many eyes watching. Please hurry.
I thought my father...
could miraculously wake up like what you and my brother said,
so I held back and did not tell anyone that you were in the palace.
I waited because I believed in you...
when you said you wanted to try your best before giving up,
but you failed in the end.
So I suggest you do as I say from now on.
I did not fail. I just need more time.
I have not given up yet.
Do you still not get it?
Do you think they will spare my brother?
If you do not give up,
my brother will die.
If you care about your brother that much,
stop being so obsessed with me first.
His Royal Highness and I...
cannot be together in this lifetime,
but I am already his.
He is the one who should stop being obsessed with you,
not I.
The man who loved you first...
and wanted to marry you. It was not him.
It was me.
So you do not care whom I love?
If I did not care,
I would not be hurting this much.
The fact that my brother...
is the man you love...
hurts me so much.
But no matter how much I am hurting,
I will marry you.
And I will always protect you,
even if I must sacrifice my life to do so.
I will see you on our wedding day.
Father.
I...
must leave the palace now.
Always take your medicine on time.
I...
will see you again soon.
You must stay strong...
until the day we can meet again.
What brings you here?
Is that everything Inspector General Choi told you to do?
I also sent the things Court Lady Kim dropped off...
to a court lady named Jong Geum and Physician Heo.
Why are you staring at me like that?
It is nothing.
I am here to say my farewells, so please let her know.
I have been curious about something,
so I came here, using my farewells as an excuse.
What is it? Tell me.
The person...
who ordered to have my grandfather killed.
Who was it?
I know it was not you. I can guess that much.
Was it Inspector General Choi?
Or...
was it the Left State Councilor?
Court Lady Kim has already revealed that you bestowed valuable gifts...
upon Jong Geum and Physician Heo's families after they died.
You probably did the same thing to the others...
who were sacrificed because of you.
I also know that seizing power is not what you are after.
Once Dosung ascends the throne,
you would want to move to the temporary palace in Anju...
to take care of Prince Gwangchang's grave for the rest of your life.
But you are afraid Dosung would change his mind,
so you want him to marry Lady Myung Yoon...
to hold her hostage.
All of your evil deeds were done to those...
who had figured out your plan or tried to get in your way.
If you were an evil person...
who killed anyone and everyone to obtain power,
I would have exposed your sins long ago...
and put an end to all this.
Then...
would you...
forgive me and Inspector General Choi...
and accept us?
If you do that,
I will install you...
as Crown Prince instead of Prince Dosung,
- and Lady Myung Yoon will also... - No.
Just because I understand you,
it does not mean I can forgive you.
Because of you,
so many lives were lost already.
I do not think I will hear your answer today,
so let me ask you one last favor.
I wish...
to take Sun Ok with me.
Could I have your permission?
Yes, you may take her.
I...
never wanted...
to hurt you.
I believe...
that answers my question.
I cannot believe you let yourself get this drunk in broad daylight.
I must say, living like this is not bad.
Right, Gap Dol?
I am Gap Seok.
All right, Gap Dol.
Gosh, you are so drunk!
He spent the whole day at the kisaeng house again?
Do you not think it is strange?
Do you think Prince Susung would actually behave like this?
What is Myung Yoon up to?
She was stuck in her room all day.
But she just heard about an emergency patient in the slums,
so she went out.
- At this late hour? - I apologize, my lord.
From now on, I will not let her go out so late.
It is okay.
She must have a lot on her mind since her wedding is coming up.
Once she is married, she cannot do such a thing.
So just let her do whatever she wants for the next few days.
My lady.
Your Royal Highness, have you been keeping well?
You did this the last time too.
You have a knack for surprising me.
I apologize.
I did not want my father to see me,
so I had to come unannounced.
I suggest you two talk inside.
Let us go inside.
Has His Majesty's condition improved at all?
I keep sending him his medicine through the Head Eunuch,
but no. Not yet.
Moo Baek will let you know right away if he shows improvement.
You need not come here as it is dangerous.
The truth is,
I dropped by because I wanted to see you...
before I left to go and stay with my mother's maternal family.
Your mother's maternal family?
What do you mean, all of a sudden?
I firmly trust that His Majesty will regain his consciousness.
However,
it does not look like it will happen before my wedding,
so I have decided to leave the Capital.
I will go to a place where no one knows me...
and live with patients who need my help.
I understand what you are saying,
but how will you manage alone in a place you are not familiar with?
I have Oh Wol, and Moo Baek will come with us.
You know that is not what I meant.
I...
I cannot let you go.
I was already dragged to the wedding ceremony once, and that is enough.
I do not want to go through that again.
All right.
Then go there and wait for me.
Be it your relative's home or somewhere in the mountains.
I will find you.
No.
If you look for me, my father will find out.
That will not happen.
My father...
is a scary man. Have you forgotten all about it?
If we are meant to be,
we might meet again.
Just think of it that way and let me go.
If you would allow me,
I would like to say my farewells with due respect to you.
Your Royal Highness.
What is the matter?
What is the reason for this unannounced visit?
Do not tell me...
you come bearing bad news about my father.
Gun.
Father.
Gun.
Father.
It is I,
Gun.
You have been through so much.
(Missing Crown Prince)
We should let Dosung know...
that Father has fully recovered.
They say you must deceive your allies before deceiving your enemy.
Leave tomorrow and go far away.
If you stay here, you will die.
I heard you sent a letter to the Tiger Hunters.
Did the Queen Dowager send you?
Traitor Choi Sang Rok! You are to be tied up!
If you want the Queen Dowager to be spared,
kneel down at once.
Get down on your knees right this instant!